I’m Joost, designer and advisor. I like solving real world problems with digital solutions. Apart from a love for prototyping, I often focus on research and product strategy. I’m based in Paris, where I also like helping other designers with their challenges. Say hi.
For 18 months I was part of the core team that's redesigning the Uber app from just ridesharing to daily needs. We were also responsible for the overall vision and product strategy. It's still in progress, I talked with Fast Company about the process.
The way drivers use Uber is different than riders: they’re often using the app for hours per day. To give them the best possible experience, we redesigned the Driver app. I worked on the design system, platform components, and payments UX.
By focussing on emerging markets, I worked on making Uber accessible for people who are unbanked, mainly by letting them pay with. I helped solving service design problems like what to do when drivers don’t have enough cash change.
Across the entire journey, the way Uber works in emerging markets is radically different than in San Francisco. I joined the international product team to increase my understanding for emerging markets, and actively participated with research across the world.
We learned that while most drivers care about providing a good service, they lacked insights on how they can improve. That's why we created a vision for the Ratings framework, and redesigned how riders give feedback and how drivers receive it.
The intersection between the digital and physical world always intrigued me. That’s why I joined Uber to lead the design for Safety and Quality. I learned how to take on complex 'real world' problems with projects like Pickup Notes and Share My ETA.
At Present Plus, I designed WeTransfer for mobile. We explored many different ways to send and receive files on a - back then very constrained - mobile OS. But we ended up starting with simple: an app to share photos and videos with friends.
It still became the Wired app of the year though :)
The publicity from the video gave me opportunities: I joined the design studio Present Plus. We worked on a lot of fun and innovative projects, such as Kuvva. Meanwhile I was learning what designing was in reality: collaborating, working with constraints and making the right trade offs.
I've always had an interest in technology, but never imagined to have a career in tech. That changed in 2011 with an idea for a news app. As I designed my way through multiple iterations, I thought by myself: 'I love doing this. But is it an actual job?'
The answer is yes.
But enough about me...
